Don’t Expect These Classic Villains In Spider-Man Movies Anytime Soon

As far as classic villains go, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man franchise introduced moviegoers to the wealthy industrialist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), who transformed into the psychotic Green Goblin; Harry Osborn (James Franco), who takes on his father’s villainous mantle in the third film; Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), the tentacle-clad villain known as Dr. Octopus/Doc Ock; Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), the shape-shifting convict; and Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), Peter Parker’s revenge-fueled co-worker who bonds with an alien symbiotic substance to become Venom.

And for Marc Webb’s failed franchise, we got new and worse versions of Harry (Dane DeHaan) and Norman Osborn (Chris Cooper); Paul Giamatti as Rhino, a cartoonish thief with a bad Russian accent and rhino-printed boxers; Jamie Foxx as Electro, a lonely man who is so unloved that his own mother doesn’t care to remember his birthday; and we finally got to see one-armed Dr. Curt Connors turn into The Lizard.

Now, if you’re hoping — which I hope you’re not — that the third Spider-Man film franchise will immediately re-introduce some these classic Spidey villains, don’t get your hopes up (Ha!). “We want to tread lightly with what’s been done in the past films in terms of, like, the Osborns,” Marvel producer Eric Carroll told Nerdist, “and things like that. So I don’t think, we’re not going directly down that route any time soon.”

Now as you know, one of the aforementioned villains will be re-introduced: Venom. However, as far as anyone knows, Venom won’t be connected to the MCU. Carroll confirmed that Marvel Studios has no connection to the Venom film, but did add this:

However, a rebooted Doctor Octopus seems unlikely, as Carroll stressed this third Spider-Man franchise is shying away from what audiences have seen before with Sam Raimi’s original trilogy and Mark Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man duo. Speaking to why the Green Goblin specifically won’t be cropping up in this Spider-Man tale, Carroll said, “We have not been told of anything we’re not allowed to play with at the moment. They do have their own plans. What it is at the moment, we’re not sure what it is after this.”

A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming.Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

The cast features Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Logan Marshall-Green, and Marisa Tomei.

The film is being directed by Jon Watts (Cop Car), based on a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley (Vacation reboot) and Jon Watts & Christopher Ford and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers.

MORE: Tom Holland Wants To Take On Venom / Uncle Ben’s Role Revealed / Spider-Man Has His Own JARVIS

Spider-Man: Homecoming will be released on July 7, 2017.

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